Condiment shaker bottom



March 5, 1940. M. c. T. LEWIS 2,192,835

CONDIMENT SHAKER BOTTOM Filed April 14, 1938 Patented Mar. 5, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in kitchen and table articles and pertains particularly to an improved condiment shaker.

The present invention has for its primary object to provide a novel shaker for condiments which is designed to contain two different substances of this character such, for example, as salt and pepper, and which has a novel bottom construction which facilitates the ready filling of either of the two chambers with which the re ceptacle is provided without danger ofgetting the condiments mixed.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved condiment shaker which is pro vided with two separate condiment chambers which has a novel closure means for the two chambers whereby said chambers are maintained securely closed and the closing means therefor serves as a supporting base for the shaker.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawing but may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the ap pended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a view in top plan of the shaker embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan View of the shaker with the base cover removed;

Fig. 4 is a view in bottom plan of the receptacle with which the improved bottom structure is designed to be connected;

Fig. 5 is a View in plan of the bottom covers, per se;

Fig. 6 is a view in plan of the cover enclosing cap for the receptacle bottom showing the compression spring.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the numeral I generally designates the condiment container embodying the present invention. the same being preferably of glass construction or constructed of any other suitable mate rial and having a central dividing partition 2 extending longitudinally therethrough to provide the two condiment chambers 3 and 4.

At the top of the receptacle body is a novel cap structure which is indicated as a whole by the numeral 5 and which comprises generally a fixed cylinder portion 6 having two groups of discharge apertures 1, each of which overlies a chamber of the receptacle, and a rotary closure carried by the cylinder and indicated generally by the numeral 8, which has in its top a single opening 9 which is designed to be brought into registry with either of the groups of discharge. apertures T for the purpose of discharging the contents of one chamber without allowing any of the contents of the other chamber to escape. This novel top structure forms the subject-matter of and is particularly claimed in my co-pending application filed of even date herewith.

The novel bottom construction for the condiment container which constitutes the subjectmatter of the present invention comprises the formation of the bottom edge of the body I with a groove or recess l0 upon the inner side of the container wall, which recess thus forms an inset shoulder I l, the surface of which is in the same plane as the loweredge of the partition wall 2.

Set within the area defined by. the recess id are the two semi-circular chamber closing plates I 2, each of which has its straight s de edge in opposed relation with and contacting thestraight side of the other plate and extending lengthwise of the edge of the partition wall 2 while its curved edge positions in the recess I0 and rests against the shoulder ll. Each of these cover plates is provided with the handle I3 by which its removal and replacement is easily accomplished.

The outer wallsurface of the receptacle body is provided adjacent the bottom of the receptacle with screw threads l4 and adapted to engage over the end of the receptacle is a cap l5 which consists of the disk-like bottom plate portion it and the skirt portion [7, the inner surface of the latter being provided with screw threads corresponding with the threads 14 to facilitate attachment of the cap to the lower end of the receptacle.

Attached to the inner face of the portion It of the cap is the helical spring I8, the apex portion of the spring being against the wall I6 of the cap while the large baseconvolution of the spring encircles the handles l3 of the closure plates l2 and presses against these plates when the cap is screwed onto the bottom end of the receptacle, to firmly maintain the plates in op erative position.

From the foregoing, it will be readily seen that with the construction herein shown and described, the closure plates l2 for the two chambers of the receptacle will beretained firmly in position and that when it is desired to fill one or the other of the chambers, the particular chamber selected may be uncovered and the proper condiment put thereinto without danger of getting that condiment into the chamber containing the other condiment. I In addition to this, the cap I5 serves as a supporting base for the shaker.

What is claimed is:

1.' A receptacle of the character described, comprising a hollow body having an open bottom and having a partition wall extending longitudinally therethrough to form two chambers, said body having a circular inset shoulder formed in the wall thereof and lying in the plane of the lower edge of said partition, a pair of plates disposed in edge to edge relation each covering a chamber and supported upon said shoulder and the said edge of said partition wall, a. cap adapted to receive the said bottom of the receptacle and cover the plates but having a wall in spaced relation theretoymeans for securing said cap to the bottom of the receptacle, and a helical spring carried by the cap wall and interposed between the same and said plates and resiliently pressing said cover plates against the shoulders when the cap is secured to the receptacle.

2. A receptacle of the character described, comprising a hollow body having an open bottom and a partition wall extending longitudinally therethrough to form two chambers each opening through the bottom, said body having a circular inset shoulder formed in the wall thereof and lying in the plane of the lower edge of said partition, a pair of semi-circular plates disposed in a common plane and in edge to edge relation and each covering a chamber and supported upon said shoulder and upon the said edge of MILES C. THOMAS LEWIS. 

